Buddleia plant named ‘PIIBD-III’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Buddleia  plant named ‘PIIBD-III’, characterized by its compact, rounded to upright growth habit, dark gray-green foliage, violet, deliciously sweet fragrant flowers with an orange center, and long flowering season, with flowers produced from spring to the first frost.

Genus and species of plant claimed: Buddleia hybrid Franch.

Variety denomination: ‘PIIBD-III’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Buddleia plant, botanically known as Buddleia hybrid Franch., commonly known as butterfly-bush, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PIIBD-III’. ‘PIIBD-III’ is grown primarily as an ornamental for landscape use and for use as a potted plant.

‘PIIBD-III’ originated from an open-pollination of the cultivar ‘Miss Ruby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,950) growing in Watkinsville, Ga. in 2010. The cultivar ‘PIIBD-III’ originated and was selected in a cultivated environment in Watkinsville, Ga. from the progeny of this open-pollination by continued evaluation for growth habit, foliage and flower characteristics.

Asexual reproduction of ‘PIIBD-III’ by stem cuttings in Watkinsville, Ga. since 2011 has shown that all the unique features of this new Buddleia, as herein described, are stable and reproduced true-to-type through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new cultivar ‘PIIBD-III’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with changes in light, temperature, soil and rainfall without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. In combination these characteristics distinguish ‘PIIBD-III’ from all other varieties in commerce known to the inventor.

-   -   1. Compact, rounded to upright growth habit;     -   2. Dark gray-green foliage;     -   3. Violet, deliciously sweet fragrant flowers with an orange         center;     -   4. Long flowering season, with flowers produced from spring to         the first frost.

‘PIIBD-III’ is distinguished from its female parent, ‘Miss Ruby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,950), by its foliage and flower color. ‘PIIBD-III’ has violet flower color and dark gray-green foliage, whereas ‘Miss Ruby’ has reddish pink flower color and dark green leaves.

‘PIIBD-III’ can be compared to ‘Empire Blue’ (Not Patented), but differs in the following characteristics. ‘PIIBD-III’ has smaller foliage, darker violet flower color and compact habit, whereas ‘Empire Blue’ has larger foliage, violet-blue flower color and larger, open, splaying habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the flower and foliage characteristics and the overall appearance of ‘PIIBD-III’, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in color reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Buddleia.

FIG. 1 illustrates the overall appearance of a three-year-old plant of ‘PIIBD-III’ planted in the ground.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘PIIBD-III’.

FIG. 3 illustrates the upper surface of a leaf of ‘PIIBD-III’.

FIG. 4 illustrates the underside of a leaf of ‘PIIBD-III’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The plant used for the description was three-years-old and was grown in the ground in a nursery in Watkinsville, Ga. Colors are described using The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.).

-   Botanical classification: Buddleia hybrid Franch. ‘PIIBD-III’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—‘Miss Ruby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.             19,950).         -   Male, or pollen parent.—Unknown (open-pollinated). -   Propagation: Terminal cuttings.     -   -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 21 days at 32° C.         -   Time to produce a finished plant, summer.—About 12 weeks             from softwood cuttings. -   Plant description: Deciduous flowering shrub; compact, rounded to     upright growth habit. Freely branching; pruning enhances lateral     branch development.     -   -   Root description.—Numerous, fibrous and well-branched.             Color: 161C.         -   Plant size.—About 152 cm high from the soil level to the top             of the inflorescences and about 137 cm wide.         -   First year stems.—Have a diameter of about 3-4 mm. Shape:             quadrangular when young, becoming rounded with age.             Pubescence: tomentulose when young, becoming glabrous with             age.         -   Second year and older stems.—Have a diameter of about 5 mm             or more. Shape: round.         -   Lateral branches.—Approximately 90. Length about 70-80 cm.             Internode length 6.5 cm. Diameter about 3 mm. Color on             younger branches 145A. Color on older branches 197A.             Strength strong and somewhat flexible. Younger branches are             pubescent, becoming glabrous with age.         -   Trunk diameter.—3.8 cm at the soil line. Color: 199B.         -   Internode length.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Flexible when young, becoming stronger and woody             with age.         -   First year stem color (young).—198B. Color (mature): 194C.         -   Second year and older stem color.—199C. Bark does not             exfoliate. -   Vegetative buds: Opposite arrangement, naked, subglobose, 2 bud     scales with tomentulose pubescence.     -   -   Color.—196D.         -   Size.—About 2 mm in length and 1 mm in width. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Quantity of leaves per branch.—About 18-24.         -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Leaf length.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate to elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Closely serrate to serrulate.         -   Texture.—Upper surface is glabrous, lower surface is             tomentose.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color (upper surface).—136A.         -   Venation color (lower surface).—188B.         -   Foliage color (upper surface).—136A.         -   Foliage color (lower surface).—188B.         -   Petiole length.—About 4 mm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Petiole color.—140D.         -   Pubescence.—Tomentulose.         -   Leaf blade.—Variegation absent. -   Flower description: Flowers on new growth. Flowers are produced from     about May through the first frost in Watkinsville, Ga. An     inflorescence is showy for about three weeks, and individual flowers     are salverform in shape and last about three days and are     self-cleaning. Approximately 250-300 flowers per individual     inflorescence.     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal panicle.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 14 cm.         -   Inflorescence width.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Fragrance.—Pleasant and sweet.         -   Peduncle.—About 13 cm in length, about 3 mm in diameter,             strength-strong, color is 188C, at times overlaid with 178A,             with tomentulose pubescence.         -   Individual flowers.—About 1.5 cm in height and 8 mm in             diameter and salverform in shape.         -   Flower buds.—Length: about 1 cm; Diameter: about 1.5 mm;             Color: N89A. Shape: elongated, linear balloon.         -   Pedicels.—About 3 mm in length, less than 1 mm in diameter,             strength-moderately strong, 122C in color with tomentulose             pubescence.         -   Calyx.—Consists of 4 sepals fused at the base. The calyx is             about 3 mm in length, about 1 mm in diameter, 147D in color,             tubular in shape with tomentulose pubescence. The individual             sepals are lanceolate in shape, with an acute apex and             entire margin, 147D in color with tomentulose pubescence. -   Petals:     -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—4 petals fused at the base to form             the corolla tube, which is about 7 mm in length, 1 mm in             width, outer surface is N87A in color and the inner surface             or center of the flower is N163B in color.         -   Petal.—Length: about 4 mm. Width: about 4 mm. Shape: broad             spatulate. Apex: broad obtuse to rounded. Margin: ruffled.             Texture: glaucous.         -   Petal color.—Upper and lower surfaces are N87A in color. -   Stamens:     -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—4 stamens per flower, fused to the             inner base of the corolla tube, about 4 mm long.         -   Filaments.—3 mm in length, less than 0.5 mm in width, and 1D             in color.         -   Anthers.—1 mm in length, 0.5 mm in width, and 4C in color.             The stamens are not pubescent.         -   Pollen.—Produced in small quantities and is 158D in color. -   Corolla: Throat is about 9 mm in length, less than 1 mm in width,     corolla tube color inside is 25A, corolla tube color outside is 63A,     corolla tube surfaces pubescent, corolla tube shape is tubular,     corolla lobe is semi-erect at full flowering and arrangement is     free, present is an eye and it is 25A in color. -   Pistils:     -   -   Quantity.—One superior pistil per flower.         -   Pubescence.—None.         -   Pistil.—About 5 mm in length and about 1 mm in width.         -   Stigma.—Elongated shape, about 1.5 mm in length and 0.5 mm             in width and 138C in color.         -   Style.—Tubular in shape, about 1 mm in length, less than 0.5             mm in width and 138C in color.         -   Ovary.—Ovoid in shape, about 2.5 mm in length, about 1 mm in             width and 138C in color. -   Fruit:     -   -   Type/appearance.—Two-valved, septicidally dehiscent capsule.         -   Length.—About 7 mm.         -   Width.—About 2 mm.         -   Immature color.—143C.         -   Mature color.—200D. Each capsule contains many tiny seeds             165D in color. -   Disease/pest resistance: ‘PIIBD-III’ has not exhibited any     particular pest or disease susceptibility or resistance, except     occasional susceptibility to spider mites (Tetranychus urticae)     under very hot and dry conditions. ‘PIIBD-III’ is cold hardy to USDA     Hardiness Zones 6-9. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct Buddleia plant named ‘PIIBD-III’, as illustrated and described herein. 